Role

:

Composer

Country

:

United Kingdom

Birth

:

July 24, 1927 in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England

Death

:

November 17, 1997 in London, England

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Orchestral

 

Wilfred Josephs was a British composer who was born on July 24, 1927, in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. He was the son of a Jewish immigrant from Poland who had settled in the UK. Josephs showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of five. He later learned to play the violin and the trumpet. Josephs attended the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he studied composition with Alan Bush and conducting with Sir Adrian Boult. He also studied privately with the composer Matyas Seiber. After completing his studies, Josephs worked as a freelance composer and conductor, writing music for radio, television, and film. Josephs' early works were influenced by the music of Bartok, Stravinsky, and Shostakovich. His first major composition was a Piano Concerto, which was premiered in 1952. He went on to write a number of orchestral works, including symphonies, concertos, and tone poems. In the 1960s, Josephs began to experiment with electronic music, incorporating synthesizers and other electronic instruments into his compositions. He also wrote music for the theatre, including the musical "The Good Companions" and the play "The Devils." One of Josephs' most famous works is his opera "Requiem," which was premiered in 1970. The opera is based on the novel "The Death of Virgil" by Hermann Broch and tells the story of the Roman poet's final hours. The opera was well-received by critics and established Josephs as a major figure in British classical music. Josephs continued to write music throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including a number of works for television and film. He wrote the score for the BBC series "The Onedin Line" and the film "The Odessa File." He also wrote a number of chamber works, including string quartets and sonatas. In the 1990s, Josephs suffered a stroke that left him partially paralyzed. Despite this setback, he continued to compose, using a computer to write and edit his music. He wrote a number of works for chamber orchestra, including "Concerto for Chamber Orchestra" and "Sinfonietta for Strings." Wilfred Josephs died on May 17, 1997, at the age of 69. He left behind a legacy of innovative and eclectic music that blended classical and electronic elements. His works continue to be performed and recorded by orchestras and ensembles around the world.

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